U.S. Supreme Court Again Defers Action on Abortion Cases

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday deferred acting on state efforts to put more restrictions on abortion, issuing a list of orders without mentioning two pending Indiana appeals.

The appeals were on a list of cases the justices could have discussed at their private conference last week. In one, the state is seeking to bar abortions motivated by the risk of a genetic disorder and require clinics to bury or cremate fetal remains. In the other, Indiana aims to reinstate a requirement that an ultrasound be performed at least 18 hours before an abortion.

The Supreme Court maneuvering comes amid an explosion in abortion debate. In recent weeks several conservative states have passed laws aimed at prodding the court to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion nationwide. Alabama has gone the furthest, making abortion a felony in almost all cases, with no exception for victims of rape or incest.

The court has been deliberating for months over the Indiana fetal-disposal and genetic-disorder law. Today’s inaction marks the 14th time the court has deferred action, suggesting an unusual amount of internal wrangling.

In addition to the Indiana cases, the Supreme Court could act in the coming weeks on Alabama’s bid to revive an earlier law. That measure would bar the most common abortion method used in the second trimester of pregnancy.

To contact the reporter on this story: Greg Stohr in Washington at gstohr@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Joe Sobczyk at jsobczyk@bloomberg.net, Laurie Asséo

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